Hope for relaunch
Convenience store chain DA has 266 stores in the Netherlands, although a mere 7 are owned by DA Retailgroep itself as the others are in the hands of independent entrepreneurs. All stores, including its own web shop, will remain open, while its 200 employees will also keep their job for the time being.
Not only has the court granted its request for suspension of payment, it has also been given a cooling-off period. This means that suppliers cannot reclaim their products currently located at DA Retailgroep for now.
The chain has been in trouble since 2013 and mainly suffers because of the competitive edge from major chains like Kruidvat and Etos. Labour union CNV already issued a statement saying it believes it is possible for the majority of stores to survive in a relaunch.
